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Ending with a well-executed reveal brings the whole story together. The audience finally knows what’s going on, creating enormous satisfaction. Unfortunately, reveals don’t always fit the rest of the story. They could be out of theme or contradict established facts. Instead of watching the story click together, the audience gets a bad taste in their … read more »
Sometimes you need to take a moment and enjoy your meal. Read more »
Throw back your head and howl at the moon, for this week we’re discussing werewolves. What is a werewolf, exactly? Where do they come from, and why are they always fighting vampires? We discuss the modern portrayal of werewolves, their pop culture roots, and why … read more »
Roleplaying games have their roots in wargaming, where each character was little more than a machine for killing goblins and gaining loot. It’s no surprise that many GMs still see their campaigns as a one-way street. The GM says how it’s gonna be, and the players … read more »
Criticism is the low point of many storytelling careers. It crushes our dreams and makes us feel like our darling creations have been torn apart. But no matter how much we dislike criticism, we need it more. How can we benefit from something that cuts us so deep? Read more »
Speculative fiction presents authors with a truly dazzling array of environments for their settings. This week, we talk about some of those wonderlands and what value they add to the story. From the spooky forests of New England to the cratered surface of the moon, we … read more »
We’ve talked about racism and sexism before, but bigotry against non-straight folk is just as important. Most storytellers know not to use blatant stereotypes these days, and yet queerphobia persists. To prevent these toxic messages from creeping into our work, we have to search for … read more »
What do Discworld, Alice in Wonderland, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Lord of the Rings have in common? If you guessed “omniscient narration,” then you’re right, but you also cheated by reading my title. No matter – I will still share the secrets of this powerful but challenging … read more »
Let’s all agree this was a valuable experience. Read more »
A throughline is the story’s core, the problem that opens in the beginning and concludes in the climax. Throughlines are essential for compelling stories, but many authors still struggle with them, so that’s what we’re talking about this week. We discuss why stories should open … read more »